We plan to study the genetics of antigen recognition in T lymphocytes using T cell hybridomas, anti-receptor antibodies and DNA probes for receptor genes. Our general approach is to examine the V genes in hybridomas of known specificity and those of related specificity in order to correlate receptor structure with Ag/MHC recognition. Specific projects include mapping the beta locus on chromosome 6, examination of V genes in hybridomas which recognize a conventional antigen (ovalbumin) or an alloantigen (I-Ab), or a self-antigen (Dd). We will plan to sequence an alpha chain polypeptide in order to clone genes in this locus. Finally, we propose to examine receptor expression in the developing thymus. Ultimately, we hope to better understand how Ag/MHC recognition is encoded in the genome.